At the same time, he made plenty of plays indicative of the flaws and risk-taking involved with his decision-making as a quarterback for 18 seasons in the NFL. He couldn't beat division rival New England at the Meadowlands in week 2 and the Jets lost to the lowly Raiders at Oakland in week 7. In those two games, the Jets offense was only able to muster a combined total of 23 points. Then in weeks 8-12, the Jets and Favre went on a 5 game winning streak, which included two big road wins at New England and Tennessee and back to back 34 point scoring games. Favre now had the Jets thinking playoffs at 8-3, but unfortunately week 12 would be the pinnacle of the season. In the final 5 weeks, the Jets would fall apart on the field and as a team. Their leader went on to throw 9 interceptions in the final 5 weeks and only 2 touchdowns. The Jets would drop 4 of their final 5 games and would fall short of making the playoffs.
Nevertheless, Favre provided the Jets with a season as up and down as his exciting and charismatic career had always been. He started as a seventh string quarterback at Southern Mississippi, which coincidentally was the only division 1 school to offer Favre a full scholarship. But his strong right arm was quickly discovered in the third game of the season against Tulane. Never lacking a flair for the dramatic even as a youngster, Favre took over the helm at halftime despite suffering from a hangover from the night before. He led the Golden Eagles to a comeback victory with 2 touchdown passes and it paved the way for the legend to grow. The great ex-Oakland Raider punter Ray Guy has to be kicking himself (literally!) over the fact he could have been the most popular Southern Miss player if it were not for that Favre fellow. He was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, much to coach Jerry Glanville's discontent. Favre threw 4 career passes for the Falcons including an interception return for a touchdown.
In the following off-season, Favre was dealt, for a fellow Southern Miss player in running back Tony Smith, to the Green Bay Packers. It was there he cemented his legacy for 16 seasons leading the Packers under center without missing a game. That's a lot of hits and injuries to play with, but better yet what is more impressive is the list of backups who held clipboards for so long waiting for Favre to get hurt (Doug Pedersen, Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Mark Brunnel, Aaron Brooks, and Matt Hassellbeck come to my mind). He is the only NFL player to win 3 consecutive MVP awards (1995-1997) and won Super Bowl 31 against the New England Patriots. Favre was also the quarterback who lost Super Bowl 32 to the Denver Broncos and threw a costly INT in the 2008 playoffs that probably cost him a trip back. Through all the ups and downs, he remained the ultimate gamer. The ultimate competitor. The football world had seen him fumble in his early years with addictions to drinking and painkillers. They watched as he withstood the death of his father Irvin's car accident in 2003, but still put on a show on Monday Night Football with a heavy heart in a rout of the Oakland Raiders. Fans watched as he still suited up every Sunday in 2004 despite his wife Deanna's bout with breast cancer and his brother-in-laws' all terrain vehicle crash. He truly was a man who enjoyed the game and played purely for the love of what he was doing on the field. Favre played the game with an abundance of youthful enthusiasm not seen in the modern athlete. He soaked in every play and every touchdown pass as if it was his first time doing it and celebrated like a giddy kid on Christmas morning.
Favre ends his career in a similar roller coaster ride stats wise. The most career touchdowns (464), and the most career interceptions (310). The most career passing yards (65,127), but also the most attempts (9,280) to go with it. Known for his never-over-til-its over attitude, Favre leaves the NFL with over 35 come-from-behind victories under his belt. He played until the final second ticked and wouldn't let go until his shoulder and arm told him his gun slinging days were done. It took him awhile, perhaps he dragged it out more than his critics would have liked, but Brett Favre never cared what his critics said. If he did care, then he wouldn't have been Brett Favre, a man who will go down in NFL history as one of the greatest to ever play the quarterback position.
